


Just Like You

by dubberclick



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: SO, and i couldnt stop thinkin bout the boy's past, and jerome being a shit, heres two gingers getting into trouble back in the circus, whats new, wrote this cause im a disaster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 06:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17782292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dubberclick/pseuds/dubberclick
Summary: The twins had become a staple to the circus. Not publicly, no- Lila would never have her children in such a position. Instead, two young children carved their name into the backstage. Behind the curtain. Exploiting every fault and bringing chaos. You'd think it was the eldest, Jerome Valeska, who brought his pure little brother into his troubles. You'd be wrong. Each boy had their own hand in chaos. A trap neither fate nor death could wrench them from. Foul hearts tainted by the day. Devils among man. Their piling acts of deviance began somewhere, however.





	Just Like You

"Jer! You can't do that! Momma will kill you!" Jeremiah stood in a baggy cream button-up tucked into worn pants and dirty sneakers. He clutched his tiny hands to his chest and watched his brother dare the forbidden. The hot sun glared on his glasses and he raised his hand to block it out.

"C'mon Miah, we  _ have  _ to see what new girlie Momma got! Bet you it's bigger than us!" Jerome, the bright-eyed, devious little boy and dressed the same as his twin, crept closer to the snake chest with a wide, but nervous smile. The chest rested on a hand-crafted table and stood under the shade of a canopy pushed up against the backend of their trailer. The chest was temporary while Lila set up the proper enclosure. To the boys; however, this meant the new snake was far too easy to explore.

"B-but Jer… If Momma or someone…" Jeremiah glanced around with quick eyes. He kept himself small, easier to miss if someone were to look. He wanted his brother to stop, but he couldn't dismiss the rising feel of curiosity and thrill as Jerome stepped closer. "If they saw us, we could get in trouble!"

"Relax!  _ Your _ loud mouth is gonna get us in trouble! Shut up and come here!" Jeremiah worried his lip, but hesitantly stepped under the shade to his brother's side. Jerome touched the rough, faded wood and Jeremiah held his breath as his twin grabbed the top with both hands. The boy pushed the lid up and the brothers lifted themselves to their toes to peer into the box.

The setup was poorly simple. Hay shallowly covered the bottom and only an old branch stretched the wooden cage and a cardboard box with a hole cut in it was shoved in the far corner. Draped over the highest cut branch was a vibrant green snake. It looked at them and Jeremiah gasped in awe. It was almost as thick as his arm! His Momma had plenty of snakes, but none were so colorful or pretty.

"Holy shit," Jerome hissed and Jeremiah glanced wide-eyed at his brother for the vulgarity, "she's really somethin'." Jeremiah nodded, watching as the snake tasted the air with a flicking forked tongue. Then, Jerome pushed the lid all the way open and slowly crept his hand inside. Jeremiah froze.

"What are you doing?!" He screeched. His brother shoved an elbow in his ribs and glared.

"Shut up, idiot! I wanna take her out. Probably hates being in a stupid place like this." Jeremiah pouted and rubbed his side, but stayed quiet as his brother reached in. He toed the hay covered gravel with baited breath as Jerome fearlessly lifted the coiled snake. Jeremiah stepped back as his twin brought her out, both watching with wonder.

Jerome frowned, "She's cold.." He brought the snake into the sun and Jeremiah followed, glancing around the vacant back area. He reached out to test his brother's statement and matched his frown when he felt the chill scales. The snake began curling around Jerome's arm and the boy smiled. "Here, girl, I got a warmer spot for you." He gently adjusted the bright green snake to curl around his neck and Jeremiah couldn't help but smile himself. Jerome pet the snake's body, then paused.

"Miah, do I look cool? Do I look like Momma?" A wild, cheery look crossed Jerome's face, "Call me in! Call me in!" He backed up and did one of their Momma's poses- hand on his hip, chin turned up, and arm elegantly swaying in the air.

Jeremiah giggled and cupped his hands, keeping his voice low, "Ladies and gentleman! Jack the Rubber Man, Dolly Dragon, and our other strange performances may have shocked you, but you've never seen anything like this! We give you son of Lila Valeska, Jerome the Snake Dancer!"

Jerome sauntered into the clearing, swaying his hips like Momma, unable to keep the smile from his face. The snake started to curl up his raised arm and Jeremiah giggled as his brother tried to sway and step like Momma. He looked silly doing that in his tan slacks and button-up, but Jeremiah didn't say that. Jerome let a few giggles slip past and twirled his hips.

Then, a young boy dressed in fancy clothes stepped into the clearing from behind a trailer. Jeremiah froze both the stranger and himself glanced between themselves and Jerome, who was oblivious to it all.

The boy looked a few years younger than they were and looked a little too fancy to be in a place like this. He had a mess of dark curls and wore a much nicer red button-up with black slacks. He was staring wide-eyed at Jerome, who finally felt the tension and looked at the stranger.

But he didn't break character like Jeremiah expected. His jaw dropped as his brother spun again, always a lover for attention. He kept his eyes on the boy, whose attention was solely on Jerome at this point, and held the arm the snake had partially wrapped around towards him. "Octavia and I are new performers on Haly's Circus, but we are the best you've ever seen! Would you like a closer look?"

The boy could only nod and slowly step closer, carefully reaching out towards Jerome's arm. Jeremiah clicked his mouth shut and pressed a fist into his smile, desperately holding back more giggles. The boy gasped when he finally touched the snake and Jeremiah moved closer to get a better look.

"She's cool, huh?" Jerome said, hand on top the snake's tail around his neck.

"Yeah.." Gasped the boy in a small voice.

Before Jeremiah could wonder what Jerome was going to do next, they heard a shout in the distance.

" _ Bruce! Damnit, don't run off like that! _ " They all jumped and the boy quickly glanced back the way he came. He pulled his hand back.

"Gotta go!" The boy took off and the brothers hurridly made their way back under the canopy. The brothers looked at each other, then laughed themselves to tears. Jeremiah rubbed his eyes under his glasses while Jerome sat against one of the table's legs. They listened to the sounds of the circus and eventually calmed back down.

 

Sometimes their adventures didn't always have eerie outcomes or underlying intention. Even devils had a chance for a different life.


End file.
